The administrators to HMV are to close another 37 shops as they battle to
secure a future for the entertainment retailer, taking the total number of
job losses since it collapsed to more than 1,600.

Deloitte, the administrators, confirmed that they plan to close a further wave of shops on top of the 66 closures announced earlier in the month. This includes HMV’s four shops at Heathrow Airport.

Nick Edwards, joint administrator, said the closures will “enhance the prospects of the restructured business continuing as a going concern”.

HMV will be left with a “residual portfolio” of 116 stores once the closures have taken place within the next few weeks. When HMV collapsed into administration, the company had 223 UK sites and employed 4,123 staff.

Hilco, the turnaround group, remains in pole position to buy HMV. It is in talks with Deloitte and HMV’s suppliers about a deal.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that Sir Elton John could perform in an HMV store as part of an attempt to revive support for the retailer. Sir Elton is one of a number of artists that record label Universal, which owns HMV’s former parent company EMI, is lining up for in-store gigs.